


Agni's Favor

by SlytherclawHomunculus



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Agni as the Fire Nation Spirit, Agni petty as fuck, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Not LoK complient, One-Shot, World Spirit Avatar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-06 01:50:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21218585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlytherclawHomunculus/pseuds/SlytherclawHomunculus
Summary: As one of the greater spirits and forces of nature, Agni watches over the world and his people. However he also holds a deep respect for the Avatar. So what does he do when they are struck down by one of his own?





	Agni's Favor

**Author's Note:**

> Reposted and edited from my tumblr~

Agni. Spirit of the sun. Father of dragons. Honorable guardian of the people of fire.

-Not that he was terribly pleased with his people at the moment. The fire throne’s recent line of succession was bringing dishonor to his name.

It had started out well enough, with the friendship of Roku and Sozin. Even before the world knew, Agni knew that Roku was the Avatar. All the spirits knew. Any ancient spirit could recognize one of their own. And honestly, the friendship between the Fire Prince and the Avatar? That was how things were _meant_ to be. Just as the moon pulls the ocean, the sun warms the planet. The Fire Lord and the Avatar were meant to be allies- to be friends.

Agni honestly didn’t care about his people’s attempted conquest of the world. Those were human matters, and humans were well, human. However, the thing that made his flames burn hotter was how the Fire Lord would stubbornly turn on the Avatar.

_Fool._ A damned _fool_. And when Sozin left Roku to die on that volcano, Agni’s flame simmered in disappointment.

It was fine though- Roku was reaching the end of his life anyway. And it was ultimately the volcanic gas that had done him in. However, what really made Agni burn was how Sozin destroyed the Air Temples in an attempt to get the next Avatar. Had Sozin burned the temples for his own sadistic pleasure, Agni would not have cared. To attempt to destroy the Avatar cycle, to stop the reincarnation of the World Spirit? That was _unacceptable_.

Thankfully, the Avatar had been a desperate child, and fled before destruction could reach him. And as the Avatar slept, Agni watched over the world. A gleaming blue gem in a cosmic void. Blue was such a lovely color, it’s really no wonder the Moon fell for the Ocean.

Despite Agni’s grievances, he still had the back of his people and their deigned leader. Even in his disappointment, he blessed each potential heir with his flame. However, he gave a certain Fire Princess his favor. Gifting her with blue flame. _Blue really is such a lovely color_.

X~X

When the true heir of fire lost his son, the second born ascended the throne. And this Fire Lord, burned and banished his first born, leaving the second born, the Fire Princess, with a direct line to the throne. The scorched prince searched the world for his honor, and the princess reveled in her favor. Agni watched silently, like a burning sentinel in the heavens.

Truly, Azula must have known that she had Agni’s favor, otherwise why else would she attempt to usurp the Earth King and Long Feng? And her whole speech about having a _divine_ right to power? Certainly she must have known. Even still, to claim a divine right to the throne? The second born of a second born who stole his throne? All in a land not her own. If Agni had a mouth, he would have smirked. Somehow her plan worked. At fourteen Princess Azula managed a bloodless coup of the impenetrable city.

However, things took a turn. The Avatar’s companions wanted to defend Ba Sing Se, and the Avatar wanted to defend his companions, and the Avatar Spirit… would defend the Avatar. Agni would not defend the Fire Princess against the World Spirit. But it seemed he didn’t need to. In a move Agni considered most _dishonorable_, she had struck down the Avatar with an attack to the back, mid ascent.

It reminded Agni of when Zhao had killed the Moon Spirit. Such action _disgusted_ him, mortals had no place to kill the vital forces of nature. To a kill an ancient spirit, one of Agni’s own. It was like watching the slaying of his children all over again. When the Ocean and the World joined together to destroy his people’s fleet, Agni did not step in. If the World Spirit deemed such action necessary, Agni wouldn’t stop it. Agni turned his back when the Ocean personally dragged Zhao into the depths of the spirit world.

_Served him right._

But to watch Azula destroy the Avatar Spirit. Agni flared in anger. How DARE the mortals! How DARE his OWN PEOPLE?! Had he a face, he would have roared from his rage. From there, he abandoned Azula.

Once the Avatar Spirit had perished, the effect was immediate. The world stopped turning, the ocean and sky currents stopped moving, the core of the planet began to cool. Of course the mortals wouldn’t notice until it was too late.

Thankfully though, a Water Tribe girl with spiritually enhanced water managed to revive the both the spirit and it’s host. She hadn’t known it, but she saved them all. Agni never would have guessed it, but he was proud of one of Tui and La’s people. _Blue is a wonderful color._

X~X

But of course, Agni still had revenge to enact. Only, his wouldn’t be so grand and obvious as the Ocean’s fit of rage. No, he would be much more insidious. After all, all firebenders had a little bit of him in them. Their inner flame. Agni already knew of the cracks within Azula’s mental foundation. She wanted love, but at the same time rejected it. Creating a turmoil within herself. Turmoil that was consumed by her inner flame, making her hollow. So without love she used fear to control others. Like some kind of _monster_. Just like that, the Sun had an idea. He would wait for his prime opportunity.

When Azula came to Ember Island, Agni spoke to her through the flames of the bonfire. Azula’s own mother, Ursa thought she was a monster. Only, Ursa didn’t really believe such a thing, but it fell in line nicely with the things that Azula already believed about her mother. She mentioned the thought to the others, and it didn’t get to her in that moment. But the seed had been sewn.

When Zuko left to aid the Avatar, Azula was mildly disappointed, but not at all surprised. Agni crackled. _**“What did you expect?”**_

When the two nonbenders betrayed Azula, Agni crackled through her inner flame. _**“Just like your Mother.”**_

When Ozai left to become the Phoenix King, Azula had to remain behind as Fire Lord. She felt honored, but Agni knew better. _**“You’re just a tool.”**_ She didn’t believe him. She didn’t want to.

When she sat in her seat, blue flames crackling behind her, Agni pitched in. _**“They’re all out to get you.”**_

“What do you mean?” She turned her gaze slightly, eyeing the flames from the corner of her eye.

_**“None of these people have your back. None of your servants have your back.”**_ Agni crackled. _**“Just like your friends. Just like your father.”**_

“_False_!” Azula said sharply. “Father is proud of me, and I have fear to control those under me.”

_**“Really now?”**_ Agni wanted to smirk. _**“Even the proud, and stubborn earthbenders who call themselves the Dai Li? Why would any earthbender in their right mind support the Fire Nation? Unless…”**_ Agni paused thoughtfully. _**“Why don’t you call them in, if they get here before an assassin could kill you, then they must be on your side~”**_

Agni watched with near glee as Azula banished and turned on her many servants and supporters.

When all was said and done, and no one was around to style her hair, she ended up messing it up and cutting it in a maddened revenge. Agni reached into her splintering mind once more and conjured the form of her mother. While he tried his best to use Azula’s memory to mimic Ursa’s voice, his crackling tone still slipped though. Thankfully for him though, Azula’s enfeebled mind didn’t notice the difference.

X~X

With Sozin’s comet scraping along the sky, Azula and Zuko held their final agni kai. _Dishonorably_, and _predictably_, Azula ended up attacking a non-combatant. And the honorable prince dove in the way to save the Water Tribe girl’s life. Agni recognized the child in blue as the girl who had revived the World. Being one of the people of water, Agni could not give his favor or blessing to this child. However…

…

When it came down to it, Azula should have won, she had her kata just right and pointed directly at the face of the water girl. However, in the place of favor, Agni granted this child mercy. He blocked Azula’s inner fire for just a second, just long enough for the waterbender’s ice to encase both parties. The water girl had saved the Avatar Spirit, so Agni returned the favor in the best way he could.

With Azula defeated, the burned prince, no, the _honorable_ prince. The one without Agni’s favor, was crowned Fire Lord. And at last, things were once again as they should be. With the Fire Lord and the Avatar as friends.

Agni crackled pleasurably at the scene. Azula had his favor, but Zuko, Agni’s _champion_, didn’t need it. And Fire Lord Zuko would create a Fire Nation that Agni could be _proud_ of.

_**“Well done.”**_ Agni crackled.

Slightly startled, the newly crowned Fire Lord looked around. He couldn’t see anyone, but he got the feeling that someone was very proud of him.

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, Azula fucked up when she killed Agni’s waifu.
> 
> I have a tumblr where I post AU ideas and art- https://carnistcervine.tumblr.com/


End file.
